Automatic slack-adjusting device.



J. S. HARDING.

AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 001216, 1914.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

inventor. Jesse S. Hardmg,

WMM8 W ALIys F NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTWLITHOH WASHINGTON, D.

i justing' device to provide positively-acting crsssn snermme, or sT'ouGHroN, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOB or oN'E-H Ln'ro it CHARLES 1). DYER, or WHITMAN,'MASSACHUSETTS. a

AUTOMATIC sLAcK-AmUsTrNGD VICE;

- T Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedD 15 1914 Continuation of application Serial No. 845,495, filed June 16,1914, Thisapplication filed October 16, 1914.

' Serial No. 867,008. v a I To all whom it may concern: a

Beitknown that LJEssn S. HARDING, a Citizen of the United States, residing at Stoughton, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve- ,ment in Automatic Slack-Adjusting fDe-Q Qvices, of which the following description,

' in connection with the accompanying draw-,

ing, is a specification, like characters on the drawlng representing likeparts. 1

This invention relatesto automatic slack adjusters for the brake gear of railway trains. .As the brake shoes of a brake gear wear it is necessary to to compensate forthe wear in order that the brakes may operate (properly, vandthis adjusting operation is now usually performed by hand. Unless great'care 1s used inmaking the adjustment, the brakes on the severalcars of a train will not operate unitormly', in which case'thewheels on some of vthe cars receive very little braking action, while those on'other cars may receive sufficient braking action to lock them from rotation,thus causing'them to wearflat.

It is the object of an automatic slack ad- ,mechanism for automatically adjusting the slack, thus eliminating the personal equation in the matter of making the adjustment. Automatic devices of this character, however, to be available for cars already in use and which are supplied [with air brake -mechanism of usual type, must be so, ,devsigned that they can be applied to such cars changes in the old gearfthereon. If the application of the automatic devices'involves much work, the expense when multiplied by the large number of cars in useby anyone corporation is practically prohibitive. u I

Accordingly my invention has for an object to provide mechanism by. which the usual brake gear may be altered to provide automatic adjustment of the slack with comparatively simple changes inthe existing mechanism. y I a y The nature andyobjectsvof the invention wil re fully, ap ea rom. e ol o in adjust the brake gear andthenovel features will be particularly pointed out in theclaims. u 1 I In th drawing in which I haveillus gtrated a selected embodiment of my inven-= tion, Figure 1 is a sidejelevationshowing a brake-applying mechanism constructedin accordance with my invention; Fig.f2 is a detail view partlyin section of the take-up l nk; F1g. 3is a, detail view partly in, sectlOIlOIl-llllG line 33,,Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4.-4:, Fig; 1.

In the drawing I have illustrated atruck 11, of usual'construction having wheels 2, 3

to which brake shoes 4,5 are to beapplied.

f' lhe brake shoes are carried-by brake'beams 6, 7 supported from thetruck in any suitable manner. a The brakebperating mechan sn comprises the usual live and dead levers 10, 11 with ,a rod12 connecting their i a lower ends and an operating rod 13,00n-

nected to the upper end of the live lever and operatedby the air cylinder as usual.

The dead lever is pivoted to the truck ata fixed point, as indicated at 14, andis pivotally connected tothe fulcrum portion 47 of the brake beam 7 by means of a bolt 15 in l the usual -.manner., The live lever is pivotally connected to the fulcrum portion l? of the brake beam 6 by means of a similar bolt 15 H I o The construction so far described with the eXception'of the link 12 is suchas is usually employed-inair brake'mechanism o and may vloe round with comparatively lit 3 I The link 12, however,

tle variation on the majority of cars now using air brakes.v connectingthelower ends of the live and deadf'levers isin my improved construction each other, I and a pawl-and-ratchet 7 connectionto permit. telescopic movementjinone ,direction'but not in the other. The particular construction by which this end "is te for the wear ofthe the illustrated embodi; i

automatically adjustable as to its length to i provide, for taking secured will be more fully herein described. The link 12 is connected to the lower ends of the live and dead levers the same man ner, as the link usually employed and may be readily substituted therefor.

Suitable mechanism is provided to cause automatic adjustment. or take-up of the link 12 as the brake shoes wear and is so designed that it may be appliedwithout material change in the existing brake gear. In the construction illustrated, this take-up mechanism comprises anautomatically-adfiusta-blelin k 17,-c0nnected to the fulcrum portions of the brake beams 6 and 7 in such a manner as to permit a limited movement of-oiie brake beam relative to the link, the

connection between said link and saidbrake beams being such that it can be made with- V out drilling any new holes in either the le vers 10 and 11 or in the brake beams and without removing either lever or brake beam from its position on the truck. In the construction illustrated this is accomplished by connecting the link lTto brackets 18, 19, shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 4, mwhich in turn can be readily bolted to the fulcrum portions 47 of the'brake beams, Each bracket has an angular shape and is provided with a head portion 20 having cars 21 that embrace the usual boss 46 found on the underside of the fulcrum member 47 at the point where the bolt 15 is inserted, and with the depending portion 45 to which the link 17 is secured. This angular construction is used because the fulcrum member 47 is usually set on an angle to correspond with the inclined position of the lever, and y making the brackets in this way the portions 45 will occupy vertical positions ,when

p the heads '20 are bolted to the inclined under faces of the fulcrum members. With this construction the brackets 18. and 19 can be secured to the fulcrum portions of the brakebeams by the same bolts 15 on which the levers 10 and -11 are fulcrumed, and without the necessity of boring any "new holes in either the [brake levers or brake beams. This is an important item as it provides for attaching the slack adjuster to any existing brake gear without making any changes therein' i The take-up device 17 is pivoted at one end to the bracket 18, as shown at 41, and at the other end is provided with a vertical slot 43 in which the vertical portion45' of the bracket 19 operates and with a transverse slot 42 in which is received a pin22 carried by said bracket, theslots 42, 43 permitting a certain amount of play between the take-up device and the bracket1l9.

The take-up device as indicatedin detail "in Fig.2 is in the form of a" link which,,in

the construction illustrated; is made in two sections 24, 25. The section 25 is provided matting longitudinal adjustment.

stops upon the sections,

with a dove-tail slot 26 in its lower side and 27 which slides in this dove-tail-slot, per- The upper edge of the section 24 is provided with a series of ratchet teeth as indicated at 28 and a pawl 29 is carried by the member 25 to engage these ratchet teeth 28. In the form illustrated, the pawl 29 is made in the form of a block mounted for vertical movement in a slot in the link 25. This block is provided with a stem 30 surrounded by a spring 31 and extending through a hole in, the plate 32. The spring bears against the under side of the plate and urges the pawl toward the ratchet teeth. The pawl may be raised topermit any desired manual adjustment. In the construction illustrated a'lever 33 pivoted to the ste1n3O v and having a cam-shaped end 34 engaging the plate is provided as a convenient means for raising the .pawl to releasing position. .The block is thus raised suiiiciently to be entirely disengaged from the ratchet teeth 28.

I prefer "to provide means whereby the amount of" relative movement permitted between the section 25 of the take-up "link 17 :and the bracket 18 may be adjusted and for th s purposeqas a convenient means I provide. astop screw 35 threaded into theend of the link inposition to engage the bracket "19. By this means the amount of play may easily be adjusted to insure proper working of the ClGVlCQ under different conditions.

The link 12jisv similarly made in two secresponding lever inthe usual manner.

By having the slots 26 open at the bottom no dirt will collect therein and the device will be kept clean and operative. The link 12 and take-up member 17 are both so constructed that the sections may not be accidentally separated longitudinally. This is accomplished by providing coeperating these steps being illustrated as a cross bar 36 formed integral with ,or .secured to the grooved section and a stop .37 secured to the end of the section 24, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The operation of the device is as follows: Whenthe'ibrakes are applied the pull on the rod 13 drawsthe lever 10 toward the wheel 2, said ,lever first turning about'its lower end until the bi' ake'shoe 4 contacts with the wheel 2, and then turning. about its fulcrum 15, thereby operating through the connection 12 to swing the dead lever about its pivot 14 and t-hen apply. the brake shoe 5.

The slot 43 nermits'o f the necessary move- 1 inent Ofthe brake beams toward each other to: apply the brakes, and this "slot is so adjusted as to'its length by the screw 'asato allow of the ordinarymovement of'the brake beams. As the brakeshoes Wear, the brake beams will, of necessity, have to be mo ved nearer -together to' eflect a proper application of the brakes, and this will-bring the bracket 19 against theinner endloffthe slot 13 and thereby cause'the' sectionsofthe link 17 to telescope the distance of one or more teeth "of the ratchet 28. When the brakes are released, the shortened link 17*li'1nits application of my device to a brake rigging involves merely the securing of the brackets 18 and 19 to the fulcrum portions 47 by the bolt 15 and the substitution of the adjustable connection 12 for the one'found on the brake rigging.

While I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention I do not Wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

I claim:

1. The combination with a truck, of a pair of brake beams having fulcrum portions, live and dead levers pivotally connected to said fulcrum portions, an automaticallyadjustable member connecting said levers,

brackets fixedly secured to the fulcrum portions, each bracket having an angular shape and presenting an inclined portion overlying the fulcrum portion to which it is attached and a vertically-depending portion,

automatically adjustable take up mechanism connected to the vertically-depending portions of the brackets, said take-up mechanism comprising a link made in two sections, one of which'is pivotally connected to the vertically-depending portion of one bracket, and the other of which is connected to the vertically depending portion of the other bracket in a manner to permit a limited relative movement.

2. The combination with a truck, of a pair of brake beams having inclined "fulcrum portions, live and dead levers pivotally connected to said fulcrum portions, an automaticallyadjustable member connecting said levers, brackets fixedly secured to the fulcrum portions, each bracket having an angular shape and presenting an inclined portion overlying the fulcrum portion to which it is attached and a vertically-depending portion, automatically-adjustable takeup Y mechanism connected: to the vertically depending portions of the brackets, said 'take up' mechanism comprising a "link made in two sections, one offwhichis pivotally connected to 'thevertically-dependingwpori;

tion of one bracket'and the otherbofuwhich is provided I with a vertical slotthrough which the vertically dependingi portion "(if thefother bracket passes,- and witha horizontal slot intersecting said vertical slot, a

pin carried bysaid last mentioned 'bracket adapted to operate in said horizontal slot whereby limited relative movement is permitted. p i

3. In combination, a truck, a pair of brake beams, a live lever connected to one brake beam, adead lever connected to the other brake beam, an automatically-adjustable rod connecting the levers, an automatically-adjustable take-up device connecting the brake beams and capable of a limited movement relative to one brake beam and comprising a link made in two sections, one section being provided with a dove-tail slot open upon the lower side of said section, the other section being provided with a wedge-shaped portion slidable in said dove-tail slot and having ratchet teeth upon one face thereof, a'block movable in the first-mentioned section and arranged to engage said ratchetteeth to hold the sections against relative movement in one direction, and a lever connected to said block and arranged to raise said block out of engagement with the ratchet teeth. v

4. In combination, a truck,apair of brake beams,a live lever connected to one brake beam, a dead lever connected to the other brake beam, an automatically-adjustable rod connecting the levers, said rod being made in two sections slidably connected together, one section being provided with a dove-tail slot open on the lower side thereof, the other sec-. tion being provided with a portion fitting in said dove-tail slotand having ratchet teeth upon one face thereof, a pawl connected with said first section and arranged to engage the ratchet teeth to permit relative movement of said sections in one direction but to prevent l I relative movement of said'sections in the other directionand automatic take-up mechanlsm to cause relativemovement of sald sections in one direction under predetermined I conditions. i I

5. In combination, a truck, a pair of brake beams, a live leverconnected to one brake beam, a dead lever connected to the other brake beam, an automatically-adjustable" member connecting the levers, an automatically-adjustable take-up device connecting said brake beams and capable of a limited movement relatii e to one brake beam, said device comprising a link made in two secv tions slidably connected together, one section being provided with a slot open upon th lower side thereof; the other. saationhqy- Sing a :pontion-slidable insaid slat and: shaped to be r'et'a'ined therein, saidsection being il'so p'iovided withratchet teeth ,and'apawl c0rineqted .tusaid fifst Section and arranged-who Jcemlect said ratchfifistflfith to holdiheseetion against relative movement in one; direqtiQl-i, :but:prmi tti;1g movgment in the other direction, said sectiQns being prbvided with domamas 

